Demonic energy and spiritual energy have always been incompatible.
The celestial phenomenon brought about by Xu Wanci’s tribulation unleashed an overwhelming surge of spiritual energy, sweeping through the surroundings of the Heavenly Response Platform. Lower-level demonic cultivators were corroded by the spiritual energy, their demonic energy sizzling and dissipating.
They exhausted their demonic power to resist, their bodies trembling under the oppressive might of the heavenly laws, yet their eyes couldn’t help but reflect awe:
This was a celestial phenomenon never before seen in the demonic realm.
Was their Demon Queen truly this formidable?
But wait… Xu Wanci, who had vanished before the ceremony was completed—did she still count as their queen?
The Seven Great Demon Generals standing before the crowd also wore rare expressions of shock. Their cultivation was second only to the Demon Lord’s, allowing them to withstand the erosion of spiritual energy.
For a moment, they stood frozen, staring blankly at the scene atop the Heavenly Response Platform:
Even though they had witnessed Xu Wanci’s breathtaking sword strike during the previous demonic abyss upheaval and knew she was powerful, they never imagined she could defy all constraints—strong enough to forcibly undergo tribulation in the demonic realm, a place saturated with demonic energy, and even trigger a celestial phenomenon rarely seen even in the immortal cultivation world.
Such awe-inspiring strength, such indomitable will…
No wonder the Demon Lord had broken precedent, willing to share his dominion with her.
But then…
Recalling the moment Xu Wanci disappeared into the secret realm, their thoughts darkened. When their gazes shifted to the lone figure remaining on the Heavenly Response Platform, a trace of fear flickered in their eyes.
Yan Shuo paid no attention to anyone’s gaze. The moment the secret realm appeared, he had already exhausted his demonic energy trying to stop it. After Xu Wanci vanished, he pushed himself further, draining his reserves to scour the entire demonic realm.
He cared nothing for his injuries, his demonic energy even recklessly probing into the immortal cultivation world’s territory.
Even as his demonic consciousness was completely corroded by the spiritual energy there, he refused to stop, desperately searching for any trace of Xu Wanci.
Nothing.
Yan Shuo clenched his fists, but there was nothing left to grasp.
His eyes burned crimson, the demonic energy around him surging uncontrollably, dispersing all spiritual energy on the Heavenly Response Platform:
How dare Xu Wanci?
How dare she risk her life to undergo tribulation in the demonic realm—just for Xiao Yuyan, just to escape him?
She sought death—she actually sought death right before his eyes!
Fury consumed him, yet against his will, memories surfaced—of the way Xu Wanci had once looked at him:
No unfamiliarity, no distance, no fear.
She had always smiled at him, her eyes filled with nothing but trust.
Whenever he appeared, no one else existed in her gaze.
How could she… have not felt anything for him?
Yan Shuo forcibly suppressed the recollection of Xu Wanci’s recent strange behavior. Lifting his head, his crimson eyes held not a shred of reason—only icy killing intent:
The immortal cultivation world must have tampered with something. That was why she left him.
"Kill them."
His demonic energy instantly sealed off the Heavenly Response Platform, his voice so cold it seemed capable of freezing everything in its wake:
"No."
As if struck by a thought, his tone dripped with malice: "Leave one alive."
He would use this survivor’s life to force Xu Wanci back.
If she cared even for the lowly lives of demonic commoners in the city, surely one life would be enough to make her return obediently.
Jiang Ze and the others, like the rest, were momentarily stunned.
They had witnessed Xu Wanci’s faint smile in the face of death beneath the tribulation lightning, seen the sorrow in her eyes as she was enveloped by the blue radiance of the celestial phenomenon.
And they had heard her whisper—soft as a breath, yet heavy as thunder:
"There will never be another Xiao Yuyan in this world."
Once, under the influence of the demonic domain, she had mistaken Yan Shuo for the Immortal Venerable.
But the moment she regained clarity, she chose to leave—without hesitation, in the most brutal way possible.
Even if the price was her life.
Had the celestial phenomenon not replaced the tribulation, had the once-in-centuries Spirit Nurturing Secret Realm not appeared… she would have dissipated beneath the heavenly lightning, her divine consciousness obliterated.
Jiang Ze abruptly clenched his fists:
He had always known Xu Wanci loved the Pure Immortal Venerable deeply—enough to risk her life for him time and again, enough to forsake treasures coveted by all cultivators.
But seeing her calm resolve in the face of death, her unyielding defiance against the Demon Lord’s oppression, still stirred a faint ache in his heart.
Beside him, Ji Wang’s gaze was equally complicated:
He marveled at Xu Wanci’s devotion and determination, rejoiced at her successful escape, yet grieved for her sorrow.
Once she left the demonic realm, she would return to exhausting herself for that sliver of nonexistent hope—until she was spent, until death claimed her.
He revered the Immortal Venerable, but he wished more for Xu Wanci’s happiness.
The Grand Elder and Third Elder had witnessed all of Xu Wanci’s sacrifices for the Immortal Venerable. They understood the depth of her love and her unbreakable will—her refusal to compromise even at the cost of her life.
They had anticipated her desperate measures, but not that her method would be even more resolute than they imagined.
The moment Xu Wanci vanished into the secret realm, they were the first to react. Half of the spiritual vein’s condensed essence merged with the celestial phenomenon’s energy, repelling and corroding the surrounding demonic cultivators, preventing them from advancing.
The other half infused into their bodies, allowing them to circulate spiritual energy even within the demonic realm.
Gu Yunqi watched as demonic cultivators, undeterred by the spiritual energy’s suppression, charged toward them. With a flick of her hand, a formation swallowed the nearest attackers.
Jiang Ze and Ji Wang also snapped into action, clearing the surrounding foes.
The Grand Elder, sensing his rapidly depleting spiritual energy, spoke gravely:
"Within the Demon Lord’s domain, the Return-to-Purity Talisman is useless. We must leave the Heavenly Response Platform immediately!"
No sooner had he spoken than Yan Shuo’s barrier enclosed the platform, demonic energy dispersing most of the spiritual energy. The demonic cultivators’ movements quickened instantly.
Yan Shuo had issued his kill order.
A thousand miles away, the Buddhist disciple Bai Zhou observed everything through Jiang Ze’s eyes.
Watching Xu Wanci’s serene acceptance beneath the tribulation, his expression remained placid, yet a nearly imperceptible sigh echoed in his heart:
Those who remain unwavering in their convictions, no matter the circumstance, are always worthy of respect.
Once he confirmed Xu Wanci’s safe departure, he wasted no time. Channeling his Buddha-infused spiritual energy through Jiang Ze’s vision, he meticulously probed for weaknesses in the Heavenly Response Platform’s surroundings.
As Yan Shuo gave his command, Bai Zhou murmured:
"Only a violent collision between sufficient spiritual energy and demonic energy can break the Demon Lord’s barrier."
"The demonic cultivators’ energy alone… is not enough."
Gu Yunqi instantly grasped the underlying meaning in Bai Zhou’s words. Her spiritual energy swept past the necks of the surrounding demonic cultivators as she spoke with a ruthless tone:
“The Demon Lord’s demonic energy should suffice, shouldn’t it?”
Bai Zhou’s voice was solemn:
“The moment the Demon Lord’s demonic energy strikes, I will activate the Demon-Subduing Bowl.”
“In that instant of upheaval, I ask all of you to protect yourselves and tear the talismans.”
Gu Yunqi wiped the blood from the corner of her lips, her gaze fixed on Yan Shuo, who stood high atop the Heavenly Response Platform, waiting for them to be worn down by the demonic cultivators. She clenched her fist, spiritual energy coiling around it, and struck the heart of the demonic cultivator before her.
If the goal was to provoke the Demon Lord into action—she was more than adept at it.
Her voice was filled with mockery and defiance:
“Who would have thought that the mighty Demon Lord would stoop to being a stand-in for the Immortal Venerable!”
“What a pity. No matter how much you imitate him, Xu Wanci will never love you. She will leave you without hesitation.”
“You may control her, but her love for the Immortal Venerable is strong enough to break free from your grasp!”
Yan Shuo’s killing intent surged as the words reached him. The demonic energy around him erupted violently, cracks spreading across the Heavenly Response Platform in an instant.
Gu Yunqi, undeterred by his fury, pressed on: “Xu Wanci will never become your Demon Queen. The one she loves has always been—”
Before she could finish, a crushing wave of demonic energy, infused with the Demon Lord’s oppressive aura, descended upon them.
In the next moment, the Demon-Subduing Bowl in the Grand Elder’s hands erupted with a powerful surge of Buddhist spiritual energy. The collision of the two forces reduced everything within hundreds of miles to shattered ruins.
Amid the wails of countless demonic cultivators, Jiang Ze and the others—despite shielding themselves with spiritual artifacts—were severely wounded. Struggling, they tore their Return-to-Purity Talismans and vanished from the scene.
A thousand miles away, Bai Zhou’s white robes were instantly drenched in blood. His cultivation plummeted—from the early stage of Transcendence, to the late stage of Great Ascension, then to the mid-stage.
Five hundred years of cultivation—gone in an instant.
Yet his expression remained calm.
He had foreseen this the moment he forced his way out of seclusion.
A mere century of cultivation lost was nothing.
In the end, the outcome was worth it.
At some point, Xiao Yuyan—who had once regarded all things in the world as illusions—found his gaze lingering on one person.
In the Spirit-Nurturing Secret Realm, surrounded by countless spiritual plants, Xu Wanci stood. The erratic beating of his heart echoed loudly in his ears.
She… did not love Yan Shuo.
She loved… him.
Every action she had taken, free from control, had been for this moment—to leave, at all costs.
Betting her life, abandoning everything, severing all ties without hesitation.
Such a powerful, pure, resilient, and courageous soul.
Xiao Yuyan slowly pressed a hand to his chest.
The still surface of water rippled, layer upon layer.
This feeling—tenderness, affection, joy—
It was the stirrings of love.
The seed buried deep within his heart had finally taken root, its tendrils entwining deeply, waiting only to break through the soil.
A gentle breeze swept away the gloom, and within the void, an endless blue sky emerged.
Xiao Yuyan extended his hand. The power of the Heavenly Dao surged from his palm, descending gently upon Xu Wanci.
Bathed in this energy, every spiritual plant in the secret realm released dense spiritual energy, swirling around her and flooding into her body.
Such an overwhelming force would have shattered an ordinary cultivator at the Divine Transformation stage—yet it did not burden her in the slightest.
Xu Wanci only felt waves of warmth coursing through her. Her cultivation effortlessly broke through to the Divine Transformation stage, then advanced further to the mid-stage.
With the aid of the Celestial Ginseng, her power now equaled—or even surpassed—that of two Divine Transformation cultivators combined.
Even after her cultivation stabilized, the spiritual energy in the secret realm lingered, subtly refining her innate talents.
Her already exceptional aptitude improved further.
Xu Wanci’s long lashes fluttered faintly.
Was it because of the Celestial Ginseng?
Or had she inherited a portion of Chu Qingchuan’s fortune after acquiring so many of his resources?
Perhaps.
Had she not been blessed with extraordinary luck, she would have been gravely injured under the Heavenly Tribulation at the Heavenly Response Platform, forced to flee with her divine sense and rebuild her body using the Heaven-Spirit Elixir.
In that case, she would have had to start anew—from the very basics of cultivation. How could she have advanced to Divine Transformation so effortlessly within the secret realm?
So this was what Chu Qingchuan had experienced—turning calamity into fortune, with serendipity ever at his side.
As the spiritual energy around her gradually faded, Xu Wanci suddenly recalled Yan Shuo’s words on the Heavenly Response Platform.
He wanted to become the second… Xiao Yuyan.
But how could Yan Shuo—selfish, obsessive, desperate to control her—ever compare to him?
She pressed her hands to her chest and whispered, as if sighing:
“In the world of cultivation, there is only one Xiao Yuyan.”
The Xiao Yuyan she had woven with lies, the one who had helped her escape peril time and again—the one and only.
In the depths of chaos, Xiao Yuyan’s outstretched hand slowly lowered.
A trace of confusion flickered in his eyes.
Yan Shuo was not him—but was he truly himself?
Without memories, with emotions so faint—
Was he the person she wished to see?
His gaze remained fixed on Xu Wanci, yet he did not take a single step forward. Silently, he retreated, vanishing into the endless void.
The moment a god recognized the stirrings of love, worry and fear arose alongside it.
In the secret realm, Xu Wanci opened her eyes.
The grand wedding robes she had worn shattered, revealing a light blue gown beneath.
Surveying the now barren secret realm—stripped of every spiritual plant—she instinctively reached out with her spiritual energy, catching the drifting seeds in the air.
Xiao Yuyan watched her in that light blue attire, his heart stirring.
Blue suited her.
Only then did he notice the seemingly useless seeds in her palm. With a flick of his finger, a wisp of Heavenly Dao energy drifted down.
In a secluded corner of the secret realm, a celestial-grade Mystic Cloud Orchid silently bloomed. The depleted spiritual energy began to trickle back, slow but unmistakable in the desolate realm.
Xu Wanci spotted the orchid effortlessly.
A celestial Mystic Cloud Orchid—consuming it would double the speed of spiritual energy recovery.
Such orchids had long gone extinct in the cultivation world. Even sixth or seventh-grade variants were nowhere to be found.
As she studied the last remaining spiritual plant in the secret realm, realization dawned.
Most secret realms had a treasure at their core.
Destroy it, and the realm would collapse.
The Jiang family's secret realm, used to overcome tribulations, had become desolate after a thousand years precisely because its treasure—the realm's guardian artifact—had been completely drained by Chu Qingchuan.
Xiao Yuyan watched Xu Wanci, who stood motionless in silence for a long time, a trace of confusion flickering in his eyes:
Was she… displeased with this gift?
At that moment, Xu Wanci finally moved—but not toward the Xuanyun Orchid. Instead, she walked to a patch of soil where faint traces of spiritual energy lingered. Kneeling, she selected a single seed and planted it there.
She buried the seed with her hands, then stood and gazed into the distance, her expression devoid of greed, carrying only gratitude and resignation:
This was the realm that had saved her life.
She couldn’t just drain it dry and walk away without a second thought, could she?
Fortunately, she was highly sensitive to spiritual energy and could pinpoint the most fertile soil, ideal for nurturing spirit plants.
And so, one by one, she scattered the seeds in her hands.
Above her, Xiao Yuyan’s gaze never left Xu Wanci.
He watched as she worked without a hint of impatience, calm and focused, seeking out the most spiritually rich earth.
He watched her tirelessly plant every seed in its rightful place, never pausing even for a day.
He watched as smudges of dirt dusted her cheeks.
And finally, he watched as she approached the Xuanyun Orchid, having sown every last seed.
Xu Wanci looked at the lone orchid before her, then reached out, shaping the ambient spiritual energy into a single Huayu Ephemeral—a dazzling blue blossom—and placed it beside the white orchid.
A gentle breeze stirred, making the flowers sway together.
Her voice carried a quiet apology:
"Your companions will take time to grow. Until then, let this one keep you company."
Her fingers brushed tenderly over the orchid’s petals:
"Thank you… for saving me."
This time, she didn’t linger. She turned and left the secret realm.
Unnoticed by her, two seeds silently clung to the hem of her skirt.
Amidst the void, Xiao Yuyan gazed at the spiritual construct within the realm, his thoughts stirring.
In the next moment, the pale blue Huayu Ephemeral materialized in his palm, the sole speck of color in an endless expanse of nothingness.
He felt the unfamiliar yet strangely compelling energy in his hand, and without conscious thought, the power of the Heavenly Dao surged forth, cradling the ephemeral blossom.
Beyond the Demon Realm, he had seen another side of her.
She refused to let a realm perish because of her, even if it meant forsaking a treasure that could shake the cultivation world.
She wished for this place—the realm that had saved her—to flourish again, and so she had spent an entire day planting every seed without rest.
A Xu Wanci who was both formidable and decisive, yet tender and kind.
Xiao Yuyan slowly closed his eyes. The seed within his heart had finally broken through the soil.
A tender sprout unfurled, waiting to be nourished by the emotions of a god.
For the first time, Xiao Yuyan—who had never spared a glance for anything or anyone but Xu Wanci—turned his attention to the Spirit-Nurturing Secret Realm.
The power of the Heavenly Dao swept indifferently across the land, and in an instant, the planted spirit seeds took root, sprouting stems and leaves.
Here, life flourished once more.
